


Along the Road to Hell

by Raiven_Raine



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Conversations, Fate & Destiny, Gen, Introspection, Other, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 07:02:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7257358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raiven_Raine/pseuds/Raiven_Raine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A chance encounter with in inevitably ill-fated destiny... Elder Maxson and Father cross paths on a desolate shore of the war ravaged Commonwealth.</p><div class="center">
  <p> - - - - - - - - - - - </p>
</div>“You feel as passionately about the state of the world as I do, my friend.” The old man smiled faintly as he regarded Maxson. “You know what they say about the road to hell…”<p>“Paved with good intentions.” Arthur nodded and relaxed back into his chair.</p><div class="center">
  <p> - - - - - - - - - - - </p>
</div>** This work is a reply to a Tumblr writing prompt: "Just once."
            </blockquote>





	Along the Road to Hell

  
  
  
  
  


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Long ago, in a world long forgotten or completely unknown to most people in this era, the ocean breeze was clean, crisp and salty. Seagulls called out in the distance as they circled lazily against the bright blue sky, waves gently lapping at the sparkling shorelines as beautifully green grass and trees swayed peacefully.

The ocean air now held a bitter acidic taste, the soothing sounds of seagulls had been replaced by twisted cries of deformed black buzzards, and the once beautiful landscape was now a grayed barren wasteland of skeletal remains.

Elder Maxson had never known anything of the time before the war, but he had read books. All those beautifully colored glossy pictures had shown him countless depictions of an alien world full of happiness and joy. A part of him longed to see the world as it was painted in those pictures… But a bigger part of him knew that those times and that world were long dead.

All he wanted now was to protect humanity from itself and produce a better future for those who remained.

A flicker of movement at the end of a busted up dock caught Arthur’s attention just as he was turning from the shore. A small yelp of surprise followed by a loud splash gripped his heart as he realized a child had fallen into the water.

Maxson dropped his pack and pulled off his shirt as he ran through the sand and down the broken planks. He didn’t even think twice before jumping into the frigid rad-laced waters.

He trudged out of the ocean, ignoring the waves of nausea that were already hitting him hard in the gut, and he dropped to his knees, cradling the limp form in his arms. He carefully lay the boy down in the yellow sand and pressed his hands against the kid’s chest in earnest.

A small choking gurgle erupted from the boy’s throat and Maxson turned the kid onto his side as he vomited and coughed for several minutes. The child groaned and grabbed his stomach, curling into a tight ball.

“You’re going to be okay, hang on…” Maxson scooped him up and carried him to where he had dropped his pack. Cradling the trembling child in one arm, he dug through his belongings and pulled out his one and only syringe of emergency radaway that Neriah had developed into a quick release field shot. When he had insisted on covertly doing some Commonwealth recon out on his own this morning, Teagan packed him a bag and insisted he take it. Maxson was now thankful that the Proctor flagrantly ignored all of his protests.

The soaking boy continued to tremble in his arms, but he relaxed considerably. Arthur gave a small relieved smile as he, too, began to relax. “Hey, kid… What are you doing out here? Don’t you know it’s dangerous?” A touch of anger spiked his words. The boy was no older than one of the squires aboard the Prydwen.

Tears filled his eyes as the boy choked and stammered, “I… I know… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have wandered… I just… I wanted to see the ocean… I’m sorry!”

Maxson had met civilian children, but this boy was somehow different. He hadn’t been hardened by the world around him, it seemed. He was ridiculously naive and far too innocent. His hair was neatly cut, his clothes pristine and devoid of any rough wear and tear and he was freely crying like a baby.

“It’s okay… Come on, kid, pull yourself together now.” The Elder tried to be tough and stern, as he would be with one of his squires.

A voice from behind jerked Arthur’s attention from the whimpering child. An older man was nearly stumbling over himself as he ran through tall yellow patches of grass and weeds. He breathlessly panted as his feet hit the sand and he slowed down. “There you are!” The man worked to catch his breath. “I warned you not to go off by yourself.”

Maxson allowed the child to scramble to his feet and rush to the man, wrapping his wet arms around him tightly as he continued to cry and stammer apologies.

“You… Saved my boy.” The man easily surmised what had happened from the scene. “Thank you, stranger.” The gray-haired man held the kid close with one hand then proffered the other to shake in greeting. “I’m called Father.”

The Elder hesitated briefly before giving the outstretched hand a firm shake. “Arthur.” He motioned to the child, “He took a lot of rads, you should get him to a doctor.” The mention of rads suddenly reminded Maxson of his own condition and his stomach turned violently. He swallowed rising bile and tenderly pressed an arm to his abdomen.

“Looks like you could use a doctor yourself.” Father swept a hand back behind him, “I have some things nearby, let me repay you for saving Shaun.”  
  


**\- - - - - - - - - - - - -**

Father tapped his finger against the glass syringe a few times as Maxson eyed him with a little suspicion. “What is that?” The liquid inside was an unfamiliar orange color.

“Ah… This is a highly effective cure-all.” Holding it up to the light, the man gave it a little look of pride. “EXP-71… Sorry that it doesn’t have a more elegant name.”

So the strange old man was some sort of scientist, then. That actually explained a few things. Every bone in Maxson’s body was starting to ache and his skin felt warm with every wracking wave of nausea– At this point, Arthur would take almost anything. He had just saved this man’s kid, would he do the Elder harm in return? Unlikely… But not entirely impossible.

He allowed the man to take his arm and jab him with the needle. Maxson watched the plunger push the strange liquid into his skin. It stung his entire shoulder like acid for a brief moment, then washed through his whole body like ice water.

And all the pain quickly subsided.

He felt awake and energized. Tiredness was the Elder’s constant state of being as of late… It was strange to feel well-rested and invigorated. He couldn’t help smiling at that. “My thanks.”  
  


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The two men sat on the porch of a dilapidated house as Shaun played quietly with old toys on the floor. Wisps of yellow tinted clouds were painted across the blue sky and the late afternoon sun enveloped the land in warmth. Maxson watched a patrolling Vertibird in the far distance slowly make a line across the horizon.

Father motioned to the aircraft with a slight cock of his chin, “What do you think of the sudden appearance of the Brotherhood of Steel?”

Arthur felt a sense of pride well up inside. “I think the Brotherhood is here to help the Commonwealth deal with current threats to humanity.” He nodded thoughtfully, “I believe they’ll do a lot of good for the people.”

Nodding pensively, the older man scratched at his beard. “The Commonwealth is full of threats. This world could use all the help it can get.” He paused and took a breath, “But I think the people of this world are far beyond any help war trained soldiers could ever give them.”

Maxson cocked an eyebrow. “You believe it’s too late for humanity to recover from the devastation?”

“I believe humanity should be… Redefined.” Waving his hand out over the expanse of dead trees and grass, Father spoke with a little more conviction, “The earth is scorched, the people have de-evolved into base animals… And, from what I understand, the Brotherhood of Steel only seeks to hoard and destroy technology so it can never be used to help. This keeps humanity in a stagnant cesspool of ignorance and perpetuates neanderthal behavior.”

Clenching his jaw tightly, the Elder swallowed a little lump of anger. There was truth in those words, however. “The Brotherhood… Has changed some from what it used to be.” Rebuilding the Brotherhood of Steel had been a long and difficult process. Maxson’s ideals weren’t exactly in line with their old beliefs; He had been influenced greatly by Sarah Lyons during his youth. He didn’t believe in simply remaining in the shadows and hoarding all tech, helping people be damned. He cared deeply for humanity and wanted to see it thrive and grow into something more peaceful. The East Coast Division was comprised of old soldiers as well as former outcasts. Arthur had built up everything that is now the Brotherhood of Steel and he was a man who valued the sanctity of life. This is what drove him. This was why they had recently come to the Commonwealth.

“I believe… There is still hope for these people.” Giving a small nod of partial agreement, Arthur added, “Humanity has de-evolved. They’re driven by base fear and continued endangerment brought on by technology advancing past man’s restraint.” He narrowed his eyes at nothing in particular. “Super mutants, atom bombs, ferals… and now Synths. People can’t even trust one another anymore and it’s ripping humanity apart. Family members are killing one another. Husband against wife, brother against brother, sons and daughters… A civil war is brewing and If it isn’t snuffed out now, the next war will wipe everyone out completely.”

“You feel as passionately about the state of the world as I do, my friend.” The old man smiled faintly as he regarded Maxson. “You know what they say about the road to hell…”

“Paved with good intentions.” Arthur nodded and relaxed back into his chair.

After some time, Father spoke up again, “What do you suppose are the drawbacks to synthetic life replacing all the broken people out there?”

The Elder gazed out at the clouds drifting overhead. “Synths aren’t people. They aren’t born from a womb as nature intended. They’re created in a laboratory by fallible humans trying to play God. They’re manufactured with biased DNA and programmed with artificial thought processes. Replacing humans with Synths is still wiping out humanity, even if the goal is to replace it with a perverted version of what’s deemed best. The Institute should not be permitted to kill everyone off in order to fill the world with their abominations… That’s not help, that’s genocide.”

It was the old man’s turn to get a little heated by the discussion. “This world is dying. Synthetic life could very well be its salvation.”

“If this world is meant to die, then so be it. If our time is over here, then let it end; We brought it on ourselves by entertaining ideas such as those. Pushing the envelope and racing headlong into the new frontier without any regard to the repercussions of our actions.”

Shaun looked up at the two of them and his innocent features suddenly appeared much older as he quietly spoke, “I want to see peace.” His voice grew quiet, “Just once…”

Father’s eyes widened for a split second then he smiled down at the child. “As do I.”

The Elder slowly nodded, “One day.”

A heavy silence enveloped the porch as both men gazed out into the distance pensively for quite a while. 

“I had better get back.” Arthur quietly sighed and pushed himself up from the chair.

The old man stood and shook Maxson’s hand once more. “Thank you again, it was a pleasure to sit and talk with another passionate soul.”

Nodding curtly, the Elder replied with an earnest smile, “Likewise. Perhaps we’ll meet again one day.”

They looked into one another’s eyes for several silent heartbeats before Arthur turned and walked back down to the beach.  
  


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**Author's Note:**

> I was actually inspired by the story about the priest who rescued Hitler from drowning when he was a child.
> 
> I had also been inspired by one of my favorite fictional dynamics between God and Satan where the two of them sit and converse about humanity.


End file.
